Drought conditions have been present in several regions throughout Texas for most of the summer. With conditions finally beginning to improve, a little over 21% of the Lone Star state was drought-free as of September 15, according to Austin American Statesman.
These conditions were improved by recent rainfall in Texas, Texas A&M Today reported. AgriLife Extension agronomists Jourdan Bell, Ronnie Schnell, and Reagan Noland stated that while these rains were beneficial, some regions are still experiencing droughts.
State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon shared that another dry spell is likely in Texas.
“We’ve seen drought contraction across the state, and last week’s rainfall should show improvement in the upcoming drought monitor later this week. But the rain is over for now. It looks like we’re now entering a dry stretch and have seen all the improvement we are going to see for a while,” Nielsen-Gammon told Texas A&M Today.
Noland stated that low temperatures combined with the rainfall allowed for less moisture to be lost, but many Texas regions are still in a moisture deficit.
“I had 2 inches of rain on a field in late May that never infiltrated more than 3 or 4 inches down and had dried out completely within a couple days. This time the rain was able to soak in, although the subsoil is still depleted,” Noland said. “In many areas, we have decent moisture down to 6 or 8 inches, but below that is still dry. We’re still in an extreme moisture deficit, and it will take repeat rain events to change that.”
Many areas in Central Texas are still facing extreme drought conditions even after recent rain, Austin American Statesman reported. More than 66% of Williamson County was in severe drought as of mid-September, with over 86% of Bastrop County in moderate drought, and more than 83% of Caldwell County still experiencing severe drought.
Warm-season crops in many Texas regions have already been harvested or are too damaged by droughts, Schnell shared with Texas A&M Today, but grains like wheat and oats can still benefit from the recent rainfall.
“Right now, producers are glad for the rain and cooler temperatures, but when you hear the long-term outlook is on the drier side, it’s something we have to keep in mind as we plan for next season’s crop,” Schnell said. “Good grain and commodity prices add to the optimism, but input costs are high as well, so it’s about having really good yields along with really good prices, and we need the weather to cooperate for that to happen.”
Dry conditions and little rainfall are expected to continue in Texas in the fall and winter, according to Nielsen-Gammon, which is caused by current La Niña weather patterns. These conditions are also expected to contribute to an active hurricane season in the state, which has already peaked, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The Drought Severity and Coverage Index (DSCI) is used to calculate drought data in an area with a range from 0 to 500. Conditions in Texas peaked at 380 on August 8 and came down to 251 on September 1.
